A Cuban social media user recently shared a video capturing a blatant traffic violation by an officer from Cuba's Ministry of the Interior (MININT). The officer was recorded riding a motorcycle through Havana without wearing a helmet, sparking criticism and questions such as, "So, they can break the rules?" The video shows the officer as a passenger, while the driver, another MININT officer, was wearing his helmet.
The sight of two officers from the state’s repressive bodies, which include the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and its National Traffic Directorate, was particularly striking. It underscores the irony that those expected to enforce the law should themselves be its first adherents.
The person who recorded the video stated that the motorcycle was seen traveling in this manner from the junction of La Novia del Mediodía to Calle 240, along Avenida 51, also known as Cuba's Central Road.
Proximity to Law Enforcement Headquarters
This incident is even more noteworthy considering the National Traffic Directorate is located precisely on Avenida 51 and Calle 226 in Havana, very close to where the MININT officers were observed flouting the rules outlined in Article 72 of the Road Safety Code.
The Code mandates that "motorcycle and moped riders on public roads must adhere to regulations set for motor vehicles in general and, specifically, must: 1) have both drivers and passengers wear protective helmets according to vehicle specifications and properly fastened," among other requirements.
A Stark Reminder of Road Safety
Yet, the officers on the motorcycle, with license plate B 63866, disregarded these regulations while traveling along a busy avenue in the Cuban capital, an avenue they are supposed to oversee for law compliance.
This act of negligence is particularly glaring in light of a tragic incident from August 2023, when a mother from Holguín died due to head injuries sustained in a traffic accident. The 26-year-old woman was on an electric motorcycle with her nine-year-old daughter and another older woman driving, who apparently failed to stop at a 'Stop' sign, resulting in a collision with an electric tricycle.